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The Wilde Genealogist Where to go to get help with your genealogy! |
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Census
Returns The first census of genealogical value was taken in 1841. Since then the census has been taken every ten years except for during World War II when only a partial census was taken. In the past few years the number of censuses indexed has quadrupled. This is a much more powerful source than it was just two years ago. 1841 The 1841 census was taken the evening of 6 June 1841. It was taken in pencil, so for some areas it is impossible to read. It contains the address, name, age (rounded down to nearest 5 for persons over the age of 15), occupation, and birth country if in the British Isles. 1851 The 1851 census was taken the evening of 30 March 1851. It contains the address, name, relation to head of household, marital status, age, sex, profession, birthplace, and “weather blind or deaf and dumb.” The counties of Devon, Norfolk, and Warwick have been extracted and are on CD. This CD can be purchased from the LDS church distribution center. 1861 The 1861 census was taken the evening of 7 April 1861. It contains the address, name, relation to head of household, marital status, age, sex, profession, birthplace, and “weather blind or deaf and dumb or idiot.” 1871 The 1871 census was taken the evening of 2 April 1871. It contains the address, name, relation to head of household, marital status, age, sex, profession, birthplace, and “weather blind or deaf and dumb or idiot.” 1881 The 1881 census was taken the evening of 3 April 1881. It contains the address, name, relation to head of household, marital status, age, sex, profession, birthplace, and records certain types of handicaps. The 1881 Census for the entire British Isles is available on CD and can be purchased from the LDS church distribution center. 1881 census at familysearch.org 1891 The 1891 census was taken the evening of 5 April 1891. It contains the address, name, relation to head of household, marital status, age, sex, profession, birthplace, the number of rooms occupied by a family, and weather employed, employer, or neither (self-employed). 1891 census search page at Anestry.com 1901 The 1901 census was taken on 31 Mar 1901. You can search the census online from the PRO. 1901 Census search page at PRO 1901 Census search page at Ancestry.com A general search strategy is to use a computerized census first and try to obtain the address of your family, and then use that address to find your family in the other censuses. You have to hope that your family did not move from place to place. If this strategy doesn’t work you have to use another method to try to find their address or search for them page by page. Although the page by page search is always a last resort, do not be too hesitant to use this method especially for a small area. Next: Parish Registers |
© 2002-2005 Jeffrey Wilde